# Validation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Polish Language Version of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC)

## TL;DR

This study validated a Polish version of a sleep disorder assessment tool for children, finding it reliable and effective for identifying sleep issues in school-age kids.

## Contribution

The study provides a validated Polish language version of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) with strong psychometric properties.

## Key findings

- The Polish SDSC showed excellent internal consistency with a Cronbach’s α of 0.9.
- 18.68% of participants had at least one sleep disorder, with common issues including sleep hyperhidrosis and excessive somnolence.
- Secondary school students were more likely to experience specific sleep disorders like DIMS and disorders of arousal.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: In this study, we aimed to validate and psychometrically evaluate a tool for examining sleep disorders in Polish children. Methods: This study involved a randomly selected sample of 348 children aged 6 to 15 years, sourced from preschools, primary schools, and secondary schools in a city with a population exceeding 100,000, in addition to two smaller towns in Poland. Parents were asked to complete the Sleep Disorders Scale for Children (SDSC) in conjunction with a sociodemographic survey. The tool’s reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (α), and correlations among various domains were evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (Rs). Results: The study demonstrated excellent internal consistency for the SDSC, with a Cronbach’s α value of 0.9. The individual subscales also exhibited acceptable reliability values, ranging from 0.69 to 0.83. Considering T-scores over 70 as indicative of a problem, we identified at least one sleep disorder in 65 participants (18.68%). The most common issues included sleep hyperhidrosis (SHY; 7.47%), disorders of excessive somnolence (DOES; 7.18%), and sleep–wake transition disorders (SWTDs; 5.75%). Students in secondary education were more likely to experience disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS), disorders of arousal (DA), and DOES. Conclusions: Based on our findings, the Polish version of the SDSC may be considered a reliable and effective tool for assessing sleep disturbances in school-age children and adolescents.